2 MY FIRST VISIT TO THE ENGADINE. 



lower end of the lake, long riveted our attention, and the 

 tunnel into which we rushed when we had first caught sight 

 of it seemed particularly aggravating. 



The rain still kept on, and the clouds were far below the 

 tops of the lower hills, but still, after entering the valley of 

 the Rhine at Sargans, we were able to perceive the increas- 

 ing grandeur of the scenery. The train sped on, and in due 

 course we reached the terminus at Chur or Coire; but the 

 rain still poured down most furiously, and we made a frantic 

 rush to the omnibus of the Weisses Kreuz. 



The first proceeding, as soon as housed there, was to rush 

 to the post-office to secure places in the diligence the next 

 morning to Samaden ; the coupe was already engaged, so 

 we were forced to be content with the interieur. 



At 5.15, the next morning, we started in the diligence 

 from Chur, and after ascending up the valley of the Rabiosa 

 till we were 2,800 feet above Chur, we were not a little 

 surprised to find that we had to descend 2,100 feet to 

 Tiefenkasten, situated in the valley of the Albula. After 

 leaving Tiefenkasten it was, however, all up-hill till the 

 summit of the Julier Pass was reached, — the road running 

 up the valley of the Oberhalbstein Rhein, which presents to 

 the ascending traveller an interminable series of waterfalls 

 and cascades of every possible variety. The peaks of all the 

 hills WTre decked out with newly-fallen snow, for the rain of 

 the preceding day had been snow on the heights above. 

 The sun shone out brilliantly, a few light clouds just serving 

 to vary the landscape by giving the requisite amount of 

 light and shade. At Bivio Stalla I left the diligence to 

 walk up to the Julier, and thus had an opportunity of seeing, 

 for the first time, some Alpine flowers and insects ; of the 

 latter, Chrysophanus Chryseis, JParnassius Delius, and 

 Colias Phicomonej immediately attracted my attention, and 



